Coupler arrangement



NOV.,30, 1954 KAYLER 2,695,714

COUPLER ARRANGEMENT Filed April 13, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1954 F. H.KAYLER 2,695,714

COUPLER ARRANGEMENT Filed April 13, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Bank H ffcyler United States 1 Patent 2,695,714 COUPLER ARRANGEMENTFrank H; Kayler, Alliance, Ohio, assignorto American teel Foundries,Chicago, 111., a corporation'of New ersey Application April 13, 1951,Serial No. 220,891

13 Claims. Cl. 213-126 This invention relates to automatic railway carcouplers and more particularly to an improved knuckle throwing means forcouplers-such as the Standard E and proposed F couplers. p

In couplers of this type, the knuckle thrower is pivoted in the knucklehead and'comprises a pair of arms, one of which is operated bythe lockand the other of which actuates the knuckle during a knuckle throwingopera tion. The lock is manually actuated by anoperating rod which isconnected by one of several'well known linkages to theleg of the lockdepending from its head,

which is adapted-in lockedposition thereoftolock the pivotal knuckle inits closed position. The leg coin prisesa: lock set portion engageablewith one arm of theknuckle thrower to support the lockin its unlockedposition preparatory to. uncoupling. In prior art arrangements, theknuckle throwing operation, particularly in worn couplers, hasfrequently been adifiicultonebecause of friction'between the knucklethrower and related surfaces of the coupler head 1 which limit upwardmovement of the thrower to maintain it in properassembled position 1within the coupler head;

Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to reducefrictional resistance to actuation of the knuckle thrower.

A more specific object of theinvention is to disposethe areas offrictional contact between the coupler. head andthrower,during-actuationof the latter, as closely as possible to the rotationalaxis of the throwerthereby' decreasing frictional resistance to-openingof the knuckle-.

A further object of the invention "is to provide a novel guide surfacewithin the coupler head for thelock actu ated arm of the thrower, said.surface having a p'ortion overlyinglsaid arm at the lock set positionthereof and having another higher portion overlying the path of movementof said arm and spaced therefrom during a knuckle throwing operationtherebyprevent'ing binding of said arm between the cam surfaee'ofthelock and" the lock leg without binding between said trunnion and bearingsurface during a knuckle throwing. operation;

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent from a consideration of the following specification andthe accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure l is a top plan view partlyin horizontal. section through a coupler head embodying the invention;

Figure -2 is a side viewof the coupler with'portions" of the couplerhead broken away along approximately the longitudinal vertical centerplane thereof and with its thrower guide slot and related throwerarm insection along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is-a sectional view taken on the line 33" of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on-the line 44of Figure l with theknuckle thrower in it's knuckle open position; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5----5"of Figure 1.

2, 95,714 Patented Nov. 30, 1954' 2 t Describing the invention in detailand referring first? to Figures 1 and 2, the coupler head,generallydsignated 2,-isprovided-with a knuckle lpivoted thereon on a?substantially vertical axis' as, for example, by a piri 6'? extendingthrough complementary openings in top I and bottom" earsof the knucklehead 2, only thejbottornea'r beingillustrated in Figure 1 inasmuch asthis structure= is conventional. In this connection, it may be noted?that the knuckle 4is shown in-Figure l in solid lines atits closedposition and is shown inphantornlines at its", knuckle .open or fullyop'en positions;-ancl forvthe sake of clarity only such portions of theknuckle are shown as arepertinent to the present invention inasmuch asthe knuckle is of conventional design. 1

The knuckle 4in itsclosed position is locked-in the" usual{ manner by ahead 8"(Figure 2) of aflock generally designated 10, said lock beingvertically movable to" locked and unlocked position within a cavity 1 2'ofthe coupler head 2 by a conventional operating mechanism"; such asthat shown in Figure 2,-wherein a lifter link 14 is providedwith asubstantially cylindricallug or tru n nion 16 slidably received within adiagonal slot=18' ina leg 20-of the lock 10 depending from the head 8thereo'fa- The link 14 is pivoted as at 22 to a rotor lever 24 having- 11 34 of the leg 20 is engageable with a complementary seat 36 (Figure l)of a novel knuckle. thrower generally designated 38. It maybe notedatthis point that in the. lock set position- (notishowny-of the knucklethrower 38; and lock 10, a lug 40 (Figure 2)on'the upper end of thelink. 14 rests in thelusual manner against 'an upwardly facing seat 42(Figure 1) of theknuckle thrower38;

The knuckle thrower comprises top: and bottom substantially coaxialtrunnions 44 and 46-. The uppertrunnion 44is substantiallyfrusto-conical inform and preisents' a generally conical bearing surface48taperingto;- :l ward the upper end of the trunnion 44. The .thrower'38 also comprises a lock engaging arm '50 having the before: mentionedlock set seat 36? and linkseat 42. As clearly seen-tin Figure 1, the arm50 of the thrower 38 projects 1 from one side-of the rotational axis ofthetrunnions 44? and 46, said axis being indicated at X--X:in'Figures*3-.5;L and the thrower 38-comprises a knuckle actuating: arm 52projecting from the opposite side of said'axis andr comprising a'nose 54engageable with a complementary surface of the knuckle 4, the openposition thereof being' indicated by phantom linesat 4a in Figure 1.

, he'arm 52 also comprisesan arcuatethroat-56 611-) gageable with aconventional bottompullinglug 58 of theknuckle 4 in the open positionthereof, said pulling i.

'lug being adapted for cooperation in the usual manner" with acomplementary pulling lug (not shown) of the: coupler head 2 when theknuckle 4 is locked and mated with a knuckle (not shown) 1 of a matingcouplerwhen" the couplers are under draft, as will be readilyunderenstood by those skilled in the art. The outer edge of the arm 52 isprovided with a safety lug 60 which mergesi with the top trunnion 44 andis received within a slot 62" (Figure, 5) of the coupler head 2partially defined by a.- wall 64"thereof having a surface formed as asegment; of a cone complementary to and substantially coaxial with thetrunnion surface 48 and aifording abearingtherefor, as best seeninFigure 5. The .wall 64 also; comprises a downwardly facing surface, orabutment 6 8 normally spaced abov'e the lug 60, in all operating po-;sitions of the thrower 38 and adapted for engagement with the lug '60during unusual upward movemen of the throwe'r38 to preventaccidentaldisengagement ,of its bottoin trunnion 46' from a complementary pivotopening 70 of a coupler head 2.11nder unusual 'coridia tions, such asoccasionally occur in railway service "where in the coupler head 2 issubjected to unusual vertical movements or is rotated during dumping ofa dump car.

As best seen in Figure 1, when the knuckle thrower 38 is in the knuckleopen position indicated in phantom lines at 38a in Figure 1, more thanone-third of the lug 60 underlies the wall 64, as indicated by theshading at 60a in Figure 1. Thus from the knuckle open position of thethrower shown at 3811 in Figure 1 an additional rotation of the knucklethrower to the fully open position indicated at 38b in Figure 1 isrequired to release the lug 60 from beneath the wall 64. This additionalrotation must be at least 70% of the amount of rota tion required tomove the thrower 38 from its knuckle closed position, shown in solidlines in Figure l, to its knuckle open position, shown at 38a in thatfigure. It will be understood that this additional rotation ordinarilytakes place only in disassembly of the thrower 38 with respect to thecoupler head 2. However, in worn couplers, rotation of the thrower 38beyond its normal knuckle open position, shown at 38a in Figure Ioccasionally takes place due to worn condition of the parts and theabove described improved arrangement positively prevents accidentaldisassembly of the thrower 38 in such worn couplers, particularly whenused on cars operated through rotary dumpers which invert them.

Referring again to Figures 1 to 3, it will be seen that the extremity ofthe thrower arm 50, remote from its rotational axis XX, is disposedwithin a guide slot 72 in a wall of the coupler head 2 adjoining itsguard arm 7 4, and as best seen in Figure 2, the slot 72 comprises asubstantially horizontal upper surface 76 overlying the arm 50 andnormally engaged therewith, when the lock 10 is raised to engage itstrunnion lock 30 with the coupler head surface at 32, under whichconditions a rearwardly facing cam surface 78 of the lock leg engages acooperating surface of the thrower arm 50. Thus the surface 76positively prevents the thrower 38 from following the lock 10 upwardlyunder these conditions, as might otherwise occur, preventing the lockset seat 34 from passing over the top of the arm 50.

Under these conditions, the arm 52 of the thrower is also frictionallyengaged as at 80 (Figure 3) with an upwardly facing diagonal surface ofthe coupler head 2. The knuckle arm 52 also contacts the surface 80 whenthe knuckle 4 is in locked position to afford frictional resistance toloose motion of the thrower 38 when the knuckle 4 is locked.

Continued rotation of the rotor 28 in a clockwise direction from theposition shown in Figure 2 causes the lock leg 20 to rotate rearwardlyand upwardly in a counterclockwise direction about the fulcrum point 32whereby the cam surface 78 of the lock leg 20 urges the thrower arm 50rearwardly pivoting the thrower arm 38 in a counterclockwise direction,as seen in Figure 1, to throw the knuckle 4 to open position, and itwill be understood that as the knuckle moves to open position, thethrower arm 50 passes from beneath the surface 76 below a coupler headsurface 81 sloping upwardly and rearwardly from the surface 76 andoverlying the path of the thrower arm 50 during a knuckle throwingoperation. As best seen in Figure 4, the surface 81 is constantly spacedfrom the arm 50 inasmuch as the trunnion surface 48 and the knuckle headbearing surface 66 wedge the thrower 38 to the right, as seen in Figure4, so that the bottom trunnion 46 is frictionally engaged as at 82 withthe margin of the opening 70 at one side of the axis XX, by wedge actionof the surfaces 48 and 66 which are at the opposite side of that axis.Also, under these conditions, due to upward movement of the thrower 38,the lug 60 thereof is engaged with the overlying surface 68 of the wall64, as shown in Figure 4. Thus it will be understood that, as thethrower 38 is rotated from the position shown in Figure 2, the arm 50thereof is spaced below the surface 81, and the entire frictionalcontact between the thrower 38 and the coupler head 2, under theseconditions, is along the surfaces 66, 68 and 82, as seen in Figure 4,all of these surfaces being closely adjacent the rotational axis XX ofthe thrower 38 to minimize frictional resistance to such movement of thethrower during a knuckle throwing operation.

The conical bearing surfaces 48 and 66 of the thrower 38 and couplerhead 2, respectively, are also effective during such a knuckle throwingoperation to maintain the rotational axis XX of the thrower 38 in anapproximately vertical position and prevent tilting of the thrower 38thereby further reducing relative movement between the contactingsurfaces of the knuckle 4 and thrower 38, a feature which also increasesthe efiiciency of the throwing mechanism.

I claim:

1. An automatic railway coupler comprising a coupler head, a knucklepivoted thereto on a substantially vertical axis, a lock in said headfor said knuckle, a knuckle thrower having an arm operatively connectedto the knuckle and having another arm operatively associated with thelock for actuation thereby to throw the knuckle to open positionthereof, substantially coaxial top and bottom trunnions on said throwerbetween its arms, the bottom trunnion being pivotally mounted within acomplementary opening of the head, and a bearing surface in said headformed substantially as a conical segment and engaged with acomplementary conical surface of the top trunnion at one side only ofthe axis of said trunnions during rotation of said thrower by said lock,the bottom trunnion being engaged with the margin of said opening at theopposite side only of the axis of said trunnions during said rotation ofsaid thrower by said lock.

2. An automatic railway coupler having a coupler head, a knuckle pivotedthereto, a lock in said head vertically movable into and out of lockingengagement with said knuckle, a knuckle thrower having an arm connectedto the knuckle and another arm operatively associated with the lock foractuation thereby to throw the knuckle, said lock having a lock setportion adapted to seat on said other arm when said lock is in lock setposition, top and bottom substantially coaxial trunnions on said throwerbetween its arms, the bottom trunnion being pivotally mounted within acomplementary pivot opening of the head, a bearing surface within saidhead formed substantially as a conical segment and engageable with acomplementary conical surface of the top trunnion to limit upwardmovement thereof, a guide slot in said head facing the bearing surfaceand receiving the extremity of said other arm, said slot having asubstantially horizontal top surface overlying said other arm in lockset position, thereof, and said slot comprising another surface abovethe level of said horizontal surface and overlying the path of saidother arm and spaced therefrom during knuckle throwing movement thereof.

3. An automatic railway coupler comprising a head, a knuckle pivotedthereto, a lock vertically movable in said head to locked and unlockedposition with respect to the knuckle, a thrower pivoted in said head,said thrower having an arm engageable with the knuckle and havinganother arm engageable by said lock for actuation thereby during knucklethrowing, a surface in said head overlying the extremity of said otherarm, said surface having a portion above said other arm in lock setposition thereof whereat a portion of said lock is seated on said otherarm for support thereby to hold said lock in open position, and saidsurface having another portion above the level of the first mentionedportion and overlying the path of said other arm during knuckle throwingmovement thereof, and means on said coupler head engageable with thethrower between said arms for positively limiting upward movement of thethrower beyond a level whereat said other arm is spaced below said othersurface portion during knuckle throwing movement of the thrower.

4. An automatic railway coupler comprising a head, a knuckle pivotedthereto on a substantially vertical axis, a lock vertically movable insaid head to locked and unlocked position with respect to the knuckle, athrower pivoted in said head on a substantially vertical axis, saidthrower having an arm at one side of its axis and engageable with theknuckle and said thrower having an arm at the opposite side of said axisand engageable by said lock for actuation thereby during knuckle throw,said lock having a lock set portion engageable with an upwardly facingsurface on said other arm for support thereby in lock set position ofsaid lock and'knuckle thrower, a surface in said head overlying theextremity of said other arm, said surface having a portion engageablewith said other arm in lockset position thereof and said surface havinganother portion above the level of the first mentioned portion andoverlying the path of said other arm during knuckle throwing movementthereof, and means on said coupler head engageable with the thrower.between said arms thereof for positively limiting upward movement of thethrower, thereby preventing engagement of said other arm with said othersurface portion during knuckle throwing movement of the thrower, saidmeans being spaced above the thrower in lock set position thereof, asufficient distance to accommodate said engagement of said other armwith the first mentioned surface portion.

5. In an automatic railway coupler, a coupler head, a knuckle throwerpivoted at the bottom side thereof to said head, a knuckle pivoted insaid head, a lock in said head movable to locked and unlocked positionwith respect to the knuckle, said thrower having arms operativelyconnected to the knuckle and loss, respectively, and a bearing surfacein said head formed as a segment of a cone substantially coaxial withthe pivotal axis of the throat and engaged with a complementarysegmental conical bearing surface on the top side of the thrower, at oneside only of the pivotal axis of said thrower when the latter ispivoted, said thrower being engaged at the underside thereof along asubstantially vertical surface of the head at the opposite side only ofsaid axis when the thrower is pivoted.

6. In an automatic railway coupler, a coupler head, a knuckle throwerhaving a trunnion on its bottom side pivotally mounted within acomplementary opening of the head, a knuckle pivoted in said head, alock in said head movable to locked and unlocked positions with respectto the knuckle, said thrower having arms engageable with the knuckle andlock, respectively, a bearing surface on said head formed as a segmentof a cone substantially coaxial with said trunnion, and another trunnionon the top side of said thrower having a conical bearing surfaceengageable with the first mentioned surface, at one side only of thepivotal axis of said thrower, said trunnion being engageable with themargin of said opening at the opposite side only; of said pivotal axiswhen said bearing surfaces are interengaged.

7. An automatic railway coupler comprising a hollow coupler head member,a knuckle thrower member therein, a substantially vertical trunnion onone of the members loosely fitted within a complementary opening of theother member to afford rotatable movement therebetween on asubstantially vertical axis, a knuckle pivoted to said head member on asubstantially vertical axis outwardly of said trunnion, a lock withinsaid head member movable vertically therein to locked and unlockedposition with respect to said knuckle, said thrower member having an armengaged with the knuckle to throw the latter to open position, and saidthrower member having another arm with an upwardly facing seat tosupport a lock set portion of the lock in lock set position thereofwhereat said knuckle is unlocked preparatory to opening thereof,cooperating fulcrum means on the lock and head member upwardly andoutwardly of said portion, cam means on the lock facing inwardly andengageable with said other arm, means for urging the lock upwardly tointerengage said fulcrum means and for rotating the lock upwardly andinwardly about said fulcrum means to thereby urge the cam means againstsaid other arm whereby said one arm throws the knuckle to open position,and means on the head and thrower members for limiting upward movementof the latter during actuation of said other arm by said cam means, saidlimiting means being disposed between said arms, being entirely spacedtherefrom, and being disposed closely adjacent the first mentioned axisto minimize frictional resistance to rotation of the thrower member.

8. An automatic railway car coupler comprising a head, a knuckle pivotedthereto, a knuckle thrower having substantially coaxial top and bottomtrunnions, the bottom trunnion being pivotally mounted within acomplementary opening of the head, and the top trunnion having asubstantially conical surface, a wall in said coupler having acomplementary conical surface engaged with said trunnion surface, and alug on said thrower extending beneath said wall and engageable therewithto limit upward movement of the thrower, the engagement of said bottomtrunnion with the head within said opening thereof at one side only ofthe axis of said trunnions, and the engagement of said wall with saidlug, and the engagement of said wall surface with said top trunnion atthe opposite side only of the axis of said trunnions being the solecontacting areas between the coupler head and thrower during knucklethrowing movement of the thrower.

9. An automatic railway car coupler comprising a head, a knuckle pivotedthereto, a knuckle thrower pivoted within the head and having an armengaged with the knuckle for moving it to open position, said throwerhaving another arm, means operatively connected to said other arm foractuation thereof, and means on the head and thrower entirely disposedbetween said arms for limiting upward movement of the thrower duringactuation thereof.

10. In an automatic railway coupler, a coupler head, a knockle pivotedthereto, a knuckle opener rotatably mounted within the head for rotationin a horizontal plane, said opener having an arm engaged with theknuckle to move it to open position, and said opener having another arm,said head having a guard arm wall with a slot, the slot partiallydefined by a top surface overlying the end of said other arm in knuckleclosed position thereof, and said slot being partially defined byanother top surface rearwardly of the first mentioned surface andextending upwardly therefrom.

11. A coupler head having outer pivot means for a knuckle and havinginner, upwardly facing pivot means for a knuckle thrower, a conicalbearing surface carried by said head above the level of said inner pivotmeans at one side thereof, and an inwardly facing guide slot in saidhead above the level of said inner pivot means at the opposite sidethereof, said slot having a downwardly facing surface at one level forengaging an arm of said thrower and having a downwardly facing surfaceat a higher level than said one level and disposed rearwardly thereofand above the path of movement of said arm during knuckle throwingmovement of the thrower.

12. A coupler head comprising outer knuckle pivot means, inner knucklethrower pivot means, and a bearmg surface formed as a segment of a conesubstantially coaxial with said inner pivot means above the levelthereof and at one side only of the axis of said inner pivot means.

13. A knuckle thrower of the class described having a bottom pivottrunnion substantially cylindrical in shape and having a top trunnion ofthe shape of a frustrum of a cone, a knuckle thrower arm connected tosaid trunnions at one side thereof and a lock engaging arm con-,

nected to said trunnions and projecting from the other side thereof,said trunnions being substantially coaxial.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

